This disclosure relates generally to the field of flexible media handling, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for the clearance of jammed media in a media path.
Paper transport systems within printing systems are generally constructed from custom designed units, usually consisting of heavy frames supporting pinch rollers driven by one or a few motors. Such systems utilize a plurality of copy sheet drives, pinch rollers, and belts to transport paper through the printer system. However, these systems are custom designed to meet the differing needs of specific printing environments for specific printing demands, which renders field reconfigurability and programmable reconfigurability unachievable.
Another approach to system design is the creation of printing systems having multiple modules, possibly having varying capabilities, linked by multiple paper paths to each other and to various output and finishing operations. Because such systems would result in densely populated paper paths, easy inexpensive jam clearance is a major design goal. Sheets traversing such paths would always be in contact with at least two, and as many as four media-handling nips. Clam shell designs which are frequently used to open entire sections of standard paper paths are generally no longer viable due to space restrictions. In multiple module systems the clearance problem can be still more complex due to the meandering paths that sheets are allowed to follow, presenting a need for improved methods for media jam clearance.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for creating highly configurable and high-performance paper transport systems which provide an improved approach for media jam clearance.